Journalist and broadcaster, Chris Donoghue, will be the new anchor of UTV Ireland’s news and current affairs programmes.
Chris will anchor alongside Alison Comyn when the channel’s news programmes, ‘Ireland Live’ and ‘Ireland Live at 10’, launch on Monday, January 5th 2015. He will also continue to co-present Newstalk’s breakfast show.
Mary Curtis, Head of Channel at UTV Ireland, said: Chris is one of the most exciting and talented broadcasters in Ireland today. He has had an exceptional career in quite a short time frame and is now one of the most respected broadcasters in the country. I have always admired his broadcasting style and I am delighted to welcome him to the team.
Curtis continued: We are in the process of building a strong and competitive quality news service for UTV Ireland. With Alison Comyn and Chris Donoghue as co-anchors, UTV Ireland will offer viewers a fresh approach to national news and current affairs, fronted by two highly experienced journalists.
Chris began his broadcasting career as a reporter with INN. In 2004, he moved to Newstalk, where he became heavily involved in the station’s political output. In August 2010, Chris became the youngest prime-time presenter on Irish radio, when he began presenting the station’s breakfast show.
Chris Donoghue said: I love my job with Newstalk and I have always wanted to develop a role in television. This is a great opportunity for me to continue what I love and progress my career. UTV Ireland has displayed huge ambition to be a leading force in Irish television. The team that they have recruited to deliver that ambition is innovative and talented. I am very proud to be part of that team and I am counting down the days until the channel launches, in the New Year.
Chris has been a leading voice on radio, providing coverage and analysis on domestic and international events. In 2008, he travelled across the US, covering the historical election of President Barack Obama. He has reported extensively from the developing world – producing documentaries from Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and India. He has covered Irish General and Presidential elections, numerous Budgets, EU developments from Brussels, and the 2011 Rugby World Cup from New Zealand. He has also written for the Irish Examiner and Irish Independent.
Michael Wilson, Managing Director of UTV Ireland, said: We have been working behind the scenes to build a fresh new channel with the best in family entertainment and a strong news and current affairs offering. With just over two months until we launch the channel on January 1st 2015, all the pieces are coming together nicely. We are weeks away from moving into our state-of-the-art headquarters and studios in Dublin City Centre, we have acquired top-quality programming, and we are in the process of recruiting the best broadcasters and journalists in the industry. Chris is an excellent addition to the team and I am delighted that he will be making his television presenting debut with UTV Ireland.
UTV Ireland will broadcast an early-evening news programme, ‘Ireland Live’, which will deliver breaking news from across the country. ‘Ireland Live at 10’, broadcasting weekdays from 10pm to 11pm, will provide the latest in breaking news and current affairs – as well as expert commentary and topical debate on domestic and international issues.
As IFTN reported last week, Paul Colgan has also been appointed by UTV Ireland in the post of Economics Editor, details of which can be seen here.
